Loving It

I hear it a lot: "I don't know how you do it. It must be so tough having your husband deployed for a year!" And I hear it about as much now as I did on deployments before I had Margot.

I have to say- You do what you have to do. The human spirit is so much stronger than we give it credit for being. And I was apprehensive, no- downright fearful, about being a "single mom." But you know what? Margot has made this deployment so much easier for me emotionally. Sure it's hard work being her sole caregiver. And it is taxing to have almost no time to myself to exercise or take a long, hot shower, or even go to the grocery store alone.

To that end, I couldn't imagine loving being a mom as much as I do. Who knew?! I thought it would be something I would do and try my best at. But the fact that I just adore this life is a complete shock to me. Maybe it's one of those things you just have to experience to see how it will go and what an impact it will make on your life. I certainly did not have a clue. -Thank goodness for Bob who really insisted we keep holding out hope for a baby.

I'm sure it helps having the cutest, sweetest, smartest baby on the planet! -Don't we all say that about our kids? Life is good, and will be even better when Bob gets to experience it with us. But until then, we're enjoying life as much as we can and are making the most of every single day.

Back to School

As of Monday, my maternity leave is over. I've sort of run the gamut on this one, emotionally. The week after Bob left I was SO ready to back to work (on account of the screaming bundle of joy in my arms and the C-R-A-Z-Y hormones coursing through my body). But then I got the hang of this mothering thing and have really enjoyed these weeks off.

And last week I started mourning the loss of this special time. But now that I am sitting down and planning a unit teaching Science Fiction, I'm starting to get excited about going back. I really do love teaching and I adore my school and colleagues, in particular. Plus I've found that very rarely does the experience I am dreading warrant the level of anxiety I allot it.

Plus my mom will be here to watch Margot these first two weeks back at school. As of January... well, I'm still working on that. February first Margot is definitely in at St. Mike's Tikes in Olympia. But we're still working on the January wait list. -Did I mention she's been on this waiting list since April, when I was only about 4 months pregnant? Anyhoo... more apprehension there. But we'll find someone to watch her, and when she goes to St. Mike's I'm sure she'll have a lovely time with all the babies. And because she's nursed, I think she won't get sick very easily... ah: dread, dread, dread!!! It won't be that bad. In fact, it will be good.

So this is the tune in my head from the movie "Billy Maddison"- "Back to school, back to school..." in Adam Sandler's strange falsetto. I am, indeed, Back to School.

Emotional Free For All

Something feels weird today. I'm over the moon for Margot- who makes life interesting and busy. But I simultaneously feel so very sad. Maybe it's the weather around here. Rain, with more rain, and a side of rain... and if it's really cheery- perhaps an overcast day.

I miss Bob like nobody's business.

And I'm having extremely stressful dreams... and have been every night for a month. There's always a problem in the dream I can't solve. I wake with a racing heart.

And I keep ordering the cutest clothes in size 10... which I managed to wear both yesterday and today. Thank goodness for those tiny victories.

I KNOW it will be okay. It always is, and I'm handling life really very well, I think. No- I know.

I just feel a little blue. You know when you say to yourself, "If you could be anywhere, do anything, eat anything, hear anything to make you feel better- what would it be?" Sometimes I ask myself that question to see if there is anything I can do that really WILL make me feel better. Tonight there is but one answer, and it's one I can't make happen.

I just want Bob.

A Big First...

Today Margot had her first non-family babysitter! Our 15 year old neighbor, Elora, came over to watch Margot for three hours while I went to a meeting on post (where kids were not really welcome. Though an exception could have been made for a nursing infant, I think).

Margot did well. She drank one bottle of my milk and one of formula. She looked pretty milk drunk when I got home, but I still coaxed her to nurse a little bit before I put her to bed.

It was a pretty big milestone for us. I think Elora is great, and she is fantastic with Margot. We plan to use her services regularly. Now I need about three more sitters just like her to round out the just-in-case team!

It is kind of a shame to pay to go to a meeting, but I am envisioning going to a movie in the near future... and THAT I don't mind paying for whatsoever!

Mom Jeans

For the first time in my life, I think I understand the concept behind "Mom Jeans." You know the ones: high waisted with LOTS of elastic. I've got probably fifteen more pounds to lose to get back in my size 8's. I'll get there, but it's a process. Right now I'm in a 12... and here's the problem:

With running and rowing, I've managed to lose most of the fat from my legs and butt, but there is still the belly to contend with. I know it will take time for the uterus to shrink back completely (six months) and for that skin to regain its elasticity (and to lose those extra pounds). But the end result is what happened yesterday.

I broke down and bought a pair of GAP "Long and Lean" jeans in a size 12 and wore them for the first time yesterday. They're really a nice pair of jeans, but the fit is not quite right. The legs and butt are too big in a 12, but the waist fits just right! Now, I think if I invested in a couple pairs of Mom Jeans, I could probably wear a 10 or even an 8 already. I just need a little stretch in the waistline.

Alas, I've still got my pride. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to the treadmill I go...

Sleepville

Last night I decided to stick to my guns and get Margot to sleep in her crib for the first time. I LOVE having her in bed with me, but it's not going to work in the long run, so I thought it might be time to move her to her room.

From 9:00 to midnight I was questioning my resolve. Then at midnight, I fed her one more time and said to her, "Now it's REALLY time to go to sleep now. No more crying." She looked at me with big old eyes, and I left the room. Not a peep until 3:30. I fed her in the dark and put her back in her crib where she slept without crying until 6:30.

Again, I fed her and put her back to bed. Then I ran on the treadmill for a half hour, ate breakfast, read a chapter in my book, took a shower- and then woke Margot up for the day at 9:00.

She was a happy baby, and I was a happy mommy.

I tried to do the same thing at nap time today, but didn't get more than 30 minutes of sleep at a time out of her. Baby steps.

We'll be shooting for a repeat performance tonight. Fingers are crossed!!!!

Recent Events

How the time flies. Bob's been deployed for three weeks, Margot is six weeks old, and the Cornelius grandparents were just here for a week- and now they're gone. Blink your eyes around here and you'll miss something. 

While Bob and Betty were here we went to the pumpkin patch and picked out a couple of cute pumpkins- none as cute as Margot in her little pumpkin hat, of course!

Here I am: 30 years old. Here Margot is: 6 weeks old. 

I turned 30 on October 15th.  Despite Bob being gone, it was a perfectly lovely day, full of lots of fun things: breaking down to buy a new computer after our seven year old computer finally bit it. The new one is an iMac- AWESOME! Tax free on post- AWESOME! I had a massage and went to dinner with a few friends while Grandma and Grandpa baby sat. Which was so sweet of them.

Margot is learning to be awake without crying as much, and she is smiling a little bit now. Mind you- she has to be SUPER happy to smile. I'm sure they'll come easier to her soon. Baby steps, baby steps. Here is a picture of her hanging out with a cute teddy bear Uncle Bryan gave her. Clearly they're buds already. 

Family Update

Margot (Pronounced Mar-G0) One week old in her Boppy. 5 Pounds, 10 Ounces

Grandma Young taking a break from her house chores to hold Margot.The first time Grandma Cornelius got to hold her granddaughter! Chester, toy tester, extraordinaire!

Bob and I have been parents for ten days now, and it's been a really amazing week and half!

So here are a couple of updates on how I'm/we're doing:

1. I am healing quite nicely after the c-section- and am off the Percocet a week early. That stuff is just really hard on your mind and body! I was thankful for it the first couple of days after surgery, but hope I never have to take it again.
   
2. My milk has come in perfectly, and baby Margot is gaining weight. Now we're just trying to get through the pain of nursing. My friends say it stops hurting somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks. So each day, we're getting a little closer. She's a little chow hound!
   
3. The whole family is learning how to sleep in 2-4 hour increments and feeding for one hour in between those nap sessions. It's different, but doable.
   
4. Bob is an amazing daddy! I've never seen the man worry about anything in his life, and all of a sudden there is this entirely different side of him. He worries about diaper changes and poo consistencies. He takes Margot's temperature daily and checks to see if she is breathing. There are another dozen things I could add, but I won't. It's nice to see him completely wrapped up in this. I think he is doing a year's worth of worrying in two weeks.
   
5. Bob deploys sometime this week. My heart breaks at the thought of it. And I am starting to worry at what an enormous responsibility it is to raise a baby on one's own!
   
6. My mom has been here and has been a busy little bee. She refers to herself as our house servant. She seriously has laundry clean and folded almost before you take the clothes off your body. The house is vacuumed, a couple of different kinds of cobblers made, and still she has time to hold Margot and read a book. The woman is amazing. I really appreciate her energy. I couldn't have done this without her!
   
7. Bob's mom, Betty, came out for a long weekend visit, and I'm so glad she did. Bob and Betty were planning a trip out in October, and they're still coming then. But who can blame a new grandma for wanting to come out just a little earlier to get a peek at her granddaughter? They're only this size once! Betty's got such a peaceful energy about her, and it was a treat to see her with Margot. Plus a bonus: she makes killer German Style Potato Salad.
   
8. Chester, the beagle, seems to be doing his level best to ignore Margot. He is, however, very interested in all of her toys. We figure they'll be sharing just about everything eventually, so we put blankets in her seats and let him snuggle in them. He'll probably be more into the baby when she is more interactive. Right now she just eats and sleeps like it's her job.
   

We are so thankful for the support and love we've received from everyone. It's fantastic to know we are not in this alone. I might need regular infusions of that message in the year to come. I know raising a baby alone is doable. I have amazing Army friends who have done it and are doing it every day. My hat is completely off to them. And I am humbled beyond words (and scared shitless) to join their ranks this week.

Until next time...

Baby Margot!

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September 3, 2009?

We took Mom and Ed on a field trip to the Salmon Hatchery in Tumwater, outside Olympia.

My cute little mom. Check out my gut!

Almost parents, 39 weeks.

Ooh, so I've been so bad at posting since I've discovered Facebook. Also, I've learned how to text, upgraded to a newer Blackberry, and made my laptop wireless. I'm pretty sure I'm almost current. I think I'll pass on the whole Twitter phenomenon!

Here's the latest: tomorrow morning we go to the hospital to try to turn Margot one more time.

If she turns, we wait for the epidural to wear off- and we go home. Then we wait for Margot to tell us when she is ready to go into labor. This, I would consider Plan A.


If she does not turn, then we will have a c-section tomorrow morning. I am at peace with this now, and though it would not be my first choice, I am really looking forward to meeting this little baby. I think she's going to be spunky.... if refusing to turn is any indication.

Bob is here and so is my mom and Ed. Also, Emmy our doula, will be there. So I feel like I am in very good hands.

With that, I think I'm going to finish a little bit of laundry and go to bed. Our lives could be changing dramatically tomorrow morning!

Recent Reading

I've been working my way through my shelf of books that I need to read before I buy MORE books. Here are two of my recent reads: I almost never read a book because the movie looks interesting, but with The Reader, that's exactly what I did. I wanted to see The Reader in the theater last year, but it just never happened. Then I thought I would just watch it on Netflix (it is indeed downstairs waiting to be watched even now). And then I decided to just go ahead and read it first.

I heard the movie is pretty weird, but the book was actually decent. I do think you can be weirder with books than movies and your reader will stay with you and work through the weirdness.

So the synopsis: Young German boy falls in love with a woman twice his age. They have a relationship and she moves away, quite suddenly. The next time he sees her, he is a law student and she is on trial for war crimes in the concentration camps during WWII. This is where their relationship evolves and grows... and he helps her deal with her terrible secret.

I'd give this book 3.5 stars.

My school book group just read Ann Patchett's Run. Patchett is most notable for writing Bel Canto (which I am currently reading). This was a beautifully told story about an elite family in Boston: white, older dad who used to be Mayor; one troubled, grown, natural son, and two brilliant, adopted black sons. Their lives change dramatically one night in a snowy car accident when they meet family and non family that will redirect the course of each of their lives.

I'd give it 4 stars.

Oh Captain, My Captain

Bob had his picture taken this week for his packet to be promoted to major. Who knows when that will happen, but now that the photo is taken, the packet is complete. I think he looks pretty official here. He's been practicing... not too happy or too gruff. His head neck shouldn't be smashed down or pointing up. His shoulders should be square and the metals straight... you get the gist. I think he nailed it.

As crazy as I am making myself these days, I am just beyond thankful for Bob. The man is even keeled and has this unnerving way of seeing the big picture when I am still stuck in the details. I appreciate his humor (which doesn't show in the picture) and his steadfastness (which does).

Margot is one lucky baby to get Bob as a daddy. And I don't know how I'd get through this process without his encouragement.

Turn Baby Turn!

So what would a week be like without a little bit of new baby stuff going on? I'd like to use the drama, but that seems a bit extreme at this point. It turns out that Margot was still lying transverse (side to side) last week, and I was 1 cm dilated... so the doctors said I could either go ahead and schedule my c-section (uh, no thanks!) or schedule a time to move her manually in the next two days. I chose option number two.

But before then, we tried everything in our power to turn her ourselves, and without pain. It should be noted that we've been doing most of these things for months now. But I'm swimming, high stepping, squatting, sitting on chairs backwards, sitting on a birthing ball, going to the chiropractor... etc.

So Thursday, Emmy- our doula, came to the house and burned Moxa Sticks (Mugwort) on either side of my pinky toes to trigger the reflexology points that should relax the uterus to let Margot move freely. So here I am pictured standing on phone books with these sort of Roman Candle things burning on either side of my feet. I stood like that for about 45 minutes, and the Moxa sticks smell like you're burning two doobies in the back yard. I'm sure the neighbors are either scandalized or are planning to introduce themselves to us any day now.

Friday morning at 6:00, we went in for the external cephalic version... it didn't work. They turned her head up. Totally breech. I won't even go into the excruciating pain of it. But I have to think it's definitely less painful than a c-section. And if it gives Margot a boost out of her comfort zone... then I'll gladly do it again.

I feel like I've been beat about the stomach with a baseball bat.
In happier news, is this the most beautiful high chair you've ever seen in your life? Bob's parents (Bob-the-dad and Betty) ordered it for us. I absolutely adore it. Bonus features- it comes with a plastic tray cover... for when it's really time to use it. And it turns into a toddler chair when Margot's ready to eat at the table with the adults. This is really a piece of furniture that our grandchildren will use.

Thank you, Cornelius parents!

And finally, here is a fun picture taken this week. Bob is the Charlie Troop Commander for 1-14 Cav. Pictured next to me is Paige and Suzanne. Paige's husband is the Bravo Troop Commander, and Suzanne's husband is the Alpha Troop Commander. They're both due mid to late November.

I said if we wanted to get a picture of us all pregnant, we needed to do it at this coffee... because by the next coffee I expect to have a baby in my arms! So here we are... A, B, and C commanders' wives.

The moral of the story: Don't drink the water at Ft. Lewis if you're not ready for a baby!

Starbucks Trivia

Before moving to Washington State, I erroneously thought a couple of things about Starbucks. I thought:

1. People in Washington would snub Starbucks- because it is a major chain, and Pacific Northwesterners (practically the North American inventors of coffee) would only accept locally owned and operated coffee houses. -NOT TRUE.
2. I thought Starbucks was opened in Starbucks, Washington. -Also: NOT TRUE.

Last weekend, when Bob and I were in Seattle for our little trip, we took the underground Seattle tour and learned a little about the origins of Starbucks. Here's the skinny:

1. The original location was opened in 1971 in Pike's Place market... where you can take your picture and wait 45 minutes for a cup of coffee.
2. The original logo is pictured above. Remember, people: sex sells. So what would sell a quality cup of coffee better than a topless mermaid? Well, the Starbucks truck drove around Seattle selling coffee... and the locals had a fit about decency. (Side note: I have a hard time believing Seattle was EVER that uptight about a little modesty. Has anyone been here lately? Clothes, shmose...) I digress. So they reconfigured the mermaid to picture her from the clavicle up.
3. The original Starbucks was opened by an English teacher, a history teacher, and a writer. -I'm reasonably certain all those late nights of grading and writer's block spurred their business venture.

So I do love Starbucks. I viewed it as a little piece of home when I was living in Europe. -Though the local coffee houses were usually better. And it's about the only decent cup of coffee one can find in the entire city of Cincinnati. Out here, I'm with the locals: Yes, we will pay $4.00 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but we will just as gladly purchase a locally owned and brewed (with love) cup of joe.

The really strange thing with coffee out here though is this: they ask you if you want a straw with your HOT coffee- EVERY TIME. Now I'm used to it. But I still think it's just a little different. So I always decline. I guess I'm just not quite a local... yet.

Random Prego Stuff

Today is 35 weeks, and as of today- I'm in my ninth month! Hooray!! And as always, there are some interesting things going on around here.

I included the picture up top to show you, loyal reader, just how much room a baby at this stage takes up in your uterus. Far out, huh? It's mind blowing to know that Margot is about 20" long and weighs 5.5 pounds. She's getting pretty big.

And I didn't know how I felt about the whole Belly Casting thing. My friends here have done it, but it's super hippy-dippy here. I wondered what I would do with a mold of my pregnant self. Hang it on the wall? Is that weird? Well, I do plan to trim it, sand it, and paint it... so it should be tres artistique when I'm finished.

Anyone remember Basic Art with Ms. Booth? It's just like that. (Only then I made a lion mask using my brother's face).

But right now, here's the weird part: when I walk into that bathroom where the cast is drying, it's like walking in on myself. I can't really describe the feeling. I am used to carrying that belly around and seeing it in the mirror and looking down at it when I'm trying to put on my shoes. But it's really strange to see MY BELLY disconnected from my body. It's like there my body double is hanging out in our upstairs bathroom. It's trippy, I'll tell you that.

I don't know when the mold will be finished. I'm busy crocheting a blanket for Margot to come home in (almost done with that), a Halloween cross stitch sampler (I should be able to get that done by October), a quilt wall hanging (I'm taking a class on Thursdays to do that one), and building a padded headboard for the guest room bed. So it's a little busy around here.

I'm confident most of these projects can be finished before Margot makes her debut.

I hear babies have a way of sucking up excess time.

-Understatement, anyone?

Sleepless in Seattle

With the hot weather here (108 degrees) and my growing belly, it's been tough to sleep. So this seemed like the ideal weekend to take a mini "Babymoon" trip to Seattle. Plus, it coincided with our joint anniversary with the Army. They've recognized me as a Cornelius and as one of Bob's dependents (it's always glamorous verbage with the Army) for seven years now.

We stayed in the Seattle Westin. I do love the Westin because of the Heavenly Bed. It really is heavenly- usually. The mattress is magical, the sheets are fantastic, and there are pillows of every imaginable size, shape, and density. And I usually relish my sleep at a Westin.

Pair the Heavenly Bed with air conditioning and I thought I'd sleep like a rock. But I did not. It's tough to hurl your belly from one side to another when you flip over. Confession: I always thought ladies who complained about this were perhaps a tad prone to exaggeration. Nope. If you turn too quickly, it feels like your belly is being ripped off your body. And I do mean ripped.

Despite the lack of sleep, we had a lovely time. We visited the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and took the Seattle Underground Tour. It turns out Seattle used to be about 15 feet lower than it is now. So you can take this walking tour to see the original level of the city. You might think it's just a big basement, but it's more like an underground ghost town. -Worth taking the tour. We ate a delicious dinner at Chez Shea... maybe the best fillet I've ever had in my life! Oops, and raw fish for an appetizer. Maybe a little dangerous, but super amazing.

And what is a celebration without a couple of gifts: a hand-made copper bracelet from the market (7th anniversaries are traditionally celebrated with copper), a bottle of Bulgari Rose perfume. -Now I can stop wearing it only at the Duty Free shops in the airport. It's tough to find! And beautiful flowers from the market. The best thing about the market is the flower section. That enormous bouquet cost $10. -No kidding.

I took Bob to a fly fishing store downtown and hoped to buy him something wonderful. Do you know what the man picked out? This little bottle of something you spray on the flies to make them float! Good thing it's not our real anniversary. I'll have to think of something amazing to celebrate our 7th church wedding anniversary in December. What do they make for men in bronze or copper?

Sleep or no, it was a fabulous weekend in Seattle.

Preparing for (Another) Deployment

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I've been so focused on Margot being born soon, that I've lost a bit of the other enormous thing happening at that time: Bob deploying. Not that it's not important, but I think I'm such a linear thinker that I've sort of pushed it to the back burner. You know: I'll deal with first things first.

But the reality is this: Bob's guys are leaving very soon. I can't divulge dates, but suffice it to say there is very little time left for these guys with their families. I'm oh so thankful Bob gets to stay a little bit longer, and that he will get to be here to see and help little Margot be born.

I am more thankful for Bob than I am for any other thing in my life... and there are more good things in my life than I can begin to count or name. And it does hurt to think of him deploying again and leaving our little family. -Oof, I'm sure it will be harder than ever to leave a sweet little baby and a crying mommy! But we will be strong, as we always are.

Those of you Army wives out there, you know this to be true: this lifestyle is not for everyone, and those of us who make it work prove our mettle daily. So here's to Bob's guys' wives who are facing their first or second or third... deployments in the coming days and weeks. May you know peace and strength.

We're in it together.

Angela's Ashes

You know how there are books on your reading list that you really should read, but you're just not motivated to make it happen? Angela's Ashes was one of those books for me. I even had two copies of it on my shelves... one autographed by the author at a writing fair last year in Seattle.
I read last week that Frank Mc Court died on July 19, and it seemed to me like a good time to finally read this book.

Frank Mc Court was an Irish American. He was born in Brooklyn to Irish parents, returned to Limerick a few years later with his family to escape the Great Depression, and than sank further and further into poverty. The book details his family's struggles: children dying, an alcoholic father who couldn't get his act together to support the family, Frank growing up and supporting his family, etc.

I hadn't read the book because it sounds like such a downer. But I have to say: Mc Court has such a razor wit about him that you find yourself chuckling over the way he describes his misfortunes. It's certainly one of those "if you didn't laugh, you'd cry" situations.

The book was brilliantly written, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone (especially those of us feeling sorry for ourselves because of minor inconveniences. Like this infernal 103 degree heat... still no air conditioning).

Also notable: Mc Court's book called Teacher Man about his experiences teaching English in city schools. It's fantastic. Especially if you can hear the audio version. His Irish inflection and brogue take it to the next level.

5 Stars to Teacher Man and Angela's Ashes

Bradley Method Classes

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So Bob and I have been taking a 12 week child birthing class using the Bradley Method. It's an all natural approach to child birth... no drugs, no episiotomy, etc. To manage the pain instead, you use a birthing tub, physio balls, massage, and so on.

A few things about this class:

• I feel VERY ready to deliver Margot. In fact I'm looking forward to it. I know it will hurt, but I am regarding it as the ultimate marathon experience. One where I get to bring a baby home at the end! The class has taught us so many different exercises that open the birth canal (like squatting. I've been practicing so much I think I could be a catcher on a softball team. My current record for holding a full squat is 7.5 minutes) and the basic mechanics of how birth works. The baby and mommy work together to make delivery possible.
• We're great friends now with the other couples in our class. There were five other couples, and I'm cheering for them and their deliveries... may they be healthy and uneventful.
• Our Bradley Method instructor, Emmy Marcelynas, is now our hired doula (birth assistant). We know her very well after these 12 weeks, and we're confident she will make Margot's birth just a bit more reassuring.
• Finally, it's been fantastic to have a place to go each week (Tuesday nights) where EVERYONE in that room believes it is possible to have a completely natural birth. I can't begin to tell you how many people say to us: "Just you wait. You'll change your mind. You've never had a baby before, so you don't know what to expect. You'll WANT the drugs. I don't know... I wanted natural too, but I ended up having a C-section."

Really, people, do you think we haven't considered all these things? It's completely maddening. I can't think of another arena in life where people tell you you're absolutely wrong about your choices. Can you imagine hearing, "I thought I'd go to college too... good luck with that." "I always wanted to be married to the same man my whole life; it's just not possible." "You've never been 30 before, so you just have no idea what to expect. Take it from me: it's not doable." "I know you've been training correctly for this sporting event for months, but I'm telling you: have an open mind. You might not finish without some medical assistance."

I know Bob and I have never had a baby before, and there are some things that are out of our hands... like a breech position or any other number of things. And I completely am okay with whatever needs to be done to have a healthy baby and to be a healthy mommy. But I wish people would let us strive to achieve our goal without the negativity.

Okay, I guess that's the rant. It's hot here (98 with no air conditioning)... so you'll have to excuse the diatribe. And no matter what happens, if I hear one single person say, "I told you so..." God help me.

The Wednesday Sisters

I saw this book at Barnes and Noble last year- when it was still in hardback. It interested me then, but I thought it might be too silly of a read to pay hard back prices to own. And the library had a mile long wait for it.

So when I saw it in Target last week, in paperback, I knew I had to have it. This is one of those books that takes you completely by surprise by its depth and character development.

The Wednesday Sisters tells the story of five women who meet each other while watching their children on a playground in the 1960's San Francisco area. So much is happening in the nation at that time- Vietnam, Women's Lib, the Hippie Era. And these moms are trying to figure out what that means for them. AND they've started writing together and critiquing each other's writing- on Wednesday mornings. Through all of this, there are births and deaths and infidelity that test and strengthen their relationships along the way.

I thought it might be a quick, light read. But it was deeper than that, and I closed the book not wanting it to end. It's a good sign when you are sad to say good-bye to your new friends in a book. And that is just what happened in this book.

5 Stars.

Baby Shower: Southern Style

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More Pregnant Friends

So it turns out: the baby bump might be the hottest accessory this summer. This is my oldest friend, Mindy. We've been friends since 7th grade, and our timing is impeccable.

I met Bob within days of her meeting Tim (her husband).
We were engaged at about the same time.
And now, all these years later, we're pregnant at the same time.
She's due three weeks before me.

So next time I'm home, we'll update these pictures with me holding Margot and Mindy holding Naomi. I can't wait!

Some Summer Reads

I do love the summer, and reading is my favorite summer past time. Now that I'm back from my travels home, I've got more time to devote.


A few of the books I've read recently:


I picked up Comfort Food in the Seattle airport. Lucky thing, too: I had a 12 hour delay trying to get out of Seattle to go to Atlanta. This book filled a need.

Comfort Food tells the tale of a world famous chef/ t.v. personality (think: Ina Garten or Paula Dean) who finds herself turning 50 and grappling with cable ratings, relationship issues with her daughters, and competition from a hot Latina cook. It's a silly little read, but it was enjoyable.

3 Stars.






This one was a bit of a surprise. Gloria Vanderbilt's newest book, Obsession: An Erotic Tale, ventures far from what I would expect to read from Vanderbilt. In the opening chapter, the main character's husband drops dead at their 10th anniversary party.



As the widow is reading through their past love letters, she happens upon a stack of letters from the husbands' mistress. Really, the mistress was sort of a hired lover housed in the lap of luxury by the husband.



This slim book is a series of letters and dreams... all pretty erotic. The tag line is accurate.

Rated "M" for mature... and "I" for intriguing?



3.5 Stars.



Cormac Mc Carthy is not known for his happy literature. It's usually dark and deep. He wrote All the Pretty Horses and No Country For Old Men, to name a couple of his better known works. So I kind of put off reading The Road.

I knew the premise: something has happened to the world in the form of fire or explosion, and there are very few people left. Two of the remaining people are a man and his son who are just trying to travel south on foot to survive the winter. There are certainly horrible parts of the book that make you think: oh man, it really would be like that! And most of the book makes you wonder just how much you'd like to suffer through before you threw in the towel. -But then you think, If I had a kid to keep alive, perhaps I would be this dogmatic about surviving.


What I wasn't banking on was the underlying, nay: PERSISTENCE of hope throughout the book. Even when there is not one good thing to hope for.


The movie is coming out October 16 (the day after my 30th birthday). I'm not sure I want to see some of those images, but I'm sure if the movie is half as powerful as the book, it will knock your socks off.

5 Stars.

The Last Summer (Of You and Me)

My aunt Diann gave me this book to read while I was home. The author, Ann Brashares, is the same person who wrote The Traveling Pants books (which I have not read). This is her first novel written for adults.

It's a bitter sweet story of three kids who grew up together summering over at their beach houses on Fire Island. But when they grew up, they found their friendships morphing into deeper relationships, and the issue then became: how do they deal with the complexities involved with those changes?

While it does not claim to be deep literature, it is a pleasant read, and it connects to readers on multiple levels.

3.5 Stars, in my book.

Sneak Peek

Yesterday we went to have a 3D/4D ultrasound done to see Margot, and We invited our parents along for the adventure. It's something to see Margot move around while feeling it at the same time.

She was a little stinker though... and she kept her face snuggled into the placenta most of the time. She would give little peaks at us, but nothing head on. It was a great experience with everyone cheering her on, "Come on, Margot! Let us see your little face!" -But she just couldn't be convinced. Some things will remain a mystery until she gets here.

But two fun pieces of info: we confirmed she is a girl. -Whew! I'm not sure how I would have dyed all those cute little pink clothes blue. And I am officially in my 8th month now.

The question on everyone's mind is: Does she have Bob's nose or mine? Wagers are being made even now... Can't wait to find out!